


Where are they now? The Dursleys

by iStiz



Series: Hogwarts: Where are they now? [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fictional Italian Fishing Village, Gen, HP: EWE, Headcanon, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-15 22:39:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8075596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iStiz/pseuds/iStiz
Summary: This is my own imagining of what happened with The Dursleys after the war.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I mean no disrespect to JK Rowling and I promise to treat her characters kindly (they belong to her, after all).

Unlike Hermione, Harry did not run off to collect his family after the war. He had parted from Dudley and Aunt Petunia on okay terms. Not good, but better than before he was 11. He made sure they understood that they were in real, serious danger and sent them on their way. He did not want to know where they went. For all that they made Harry miserable growing up, he did not want them to die. They did nothing to Voldemort. They did not deserve to be killed just by being related to Harry.

There isn’t one defining moment that makes him want to jump out of bed and search for his family. Rather, there are small parts-of-moments here and there that make some part in the recesses of his mind itch. Harry is watching the Grangers and Weasleys interact at Ron and Hermione’s engagement party when the itching becomes unbearable. He jumps up, races out of the Burrow, and starts pacing back and forth. It’s Ginny that follows him. “Harry. You’re acting pathetic. Just because we broke up doesn’t mean you can act this way! You still have to be supportive of your best friends. I thought you were better than this.”

Harry turns and glares at Ginny. “This isn’t because _you_ broke up with me!” Ginny is about to say something about his word choice but Harry doesn’t give her the chance. “I just see two families getting to know each other and learn about each other and enjoy their time together. Everywhere I look I see families and I know I will never have that! Even if I find someone willing to be with me, I have no family to share with them! I have no family! The closest thing I had was my godfather and Sirius was ripped away from me before I even got the chance to enjoy it!”

Ginny puts all arguments aside and rushes to Harry’s side as he collapses in tears. “Oh, Harry. I’m so sorry. But you know you always have us Weasleys; all of us. And Fleur, Hermione, Neville, Luna. Any of the DA and the Order. I know they’re not blood relatives, but neither was Sirius. They’re your family, Harry. We all are.”

Harry knows she’s right, and he also knows he’s wrong. He has family. He used to think he’d rather have no family than to have the Dursleys, but now he’s not so sure. “Thanks, Gin. You’re right, I know, I just…I think…I think I should find my Aunt.” Ginny gives him a strange look. Harry explains, “She should know that the person who killed her sister is gone. She at least deserves that.”

Ginny gives Harry some time to compose himself, and then he rejoins the party. Hermione and Ron pull him to the side and ask what is wrong. Harry tells them what he told Ginny. Hermione nods in understanding, but Ron doesn’t understand. “Why would you want to let those people back into your life, mate? They were horrible to you for years.”

Harry counters with the only thing he knows will shut Ron up, “You play chess with Malfoy.”

Hermione helps Harry perfect a tracking charm. She wants to go along, but Harry says this is a trip he must take himself. With tears in her eyes she kisses his cheek and makes him promise to check in. Ron comforts his fiancé saying, “This isn’t like when he left for the Forbidden Forest. He’s not heading to his death this time.” Hermione nods, but leans on Ron as tears fall anyway.

Tracking charm in place, Harry heads off to find his family. In only a few days’ time he finds himself in the Italy. Harry realizes how much easier traveling is when he's not hiding from Snatchers and Death Eaters. The charm glows brighter as he nears a small fishing village. He wanders about, trying to be inconspicuous, but he’s not seeing any of the Dursleys. Figuring he’ll be able to buy lunch at the market, Harry pulls out some muggle money and stops. That’s when he sees a familiar shape moving in the distance. There is Dudley, carrying large pallets of fish off a cart and right into the back of the market. He looks thinner to Harry, but it makes sense if he’s been doing this hard work for the past few years. Harry calls over, “Hey! D!” Dudley drops the fish, eyes wide, but relief is evident when he sees it’s just his cousin. Harry feels sorry and discretely helps levitate the fish back onto the pallet and cleans them before anyone notices.

“Harry…I…I…I thought you were leaving forever. Mum said we had to stay gone.” Maybe it was just time playing tricks on him, but Harry thinks maybe Dudley doesn’t sound as dim as he always had growing up.

“We killed him- the man who was after me. My friends and I were on the run for a year, but we finally killed him and killed him for good. I…I had to find you and tell you. It’s safe now.”

Dudley stares at Harry blankly and says, “Mum said we had to stay gone.”

Okay, maybe Harry spoke too soon about Dudley not sounding dim. “You’re right, D. Could you tell me where Aunt Petunia is?”

“Yeah. She cooks and cleans for this little inn up the road. Big place. Can’t miss it.”

“Thanks,” and Harry walks away.

He’s already some ways down the road when he hears Dudley yell after him, “Wait! They don’t know our real names here! They think her name is Rose!”

It’s a good thing they no longer have to be incognito because Dudley yelled it loud enough for the whole town to hear. Harry chuckles to himself and waves behind him in thanks. He reaches the inn and walks around to the back. He can’t imagine his Aunt cooking and cleaning, but if that really is her job then he won’t find her by walking in the front doors. Since it is just after lunchtime by now, Harry finds Petunia in the kitchens cleaning up. He doesn’t want to startle her by speaking out of the blue so he clears his throat politely. She turns around with a fake-cheery smile on her face that falls as soon as she sees Harry.

“No. NO. WE’RE NOT LEAVING AGAIN! WE ALREADY MOVED AWAY FROM OUR HOME COUNTRY WE ARE NOT MOVING AGAIN!! I DON’T CARE WHO IS AFTER YOU! NO ONE KNOWS US HERE! I PROMISE!”

Harry is taken aback by her outburst, but he understands. He instantly feels bad about not coming sooner. “Aunt Petunia. Please listen. I promise it’s okay. I won’t make you do anything.”

“Why are you here, then??” she asks, still shaking.

“He’s dead. I thought you should know. The man who killed your sister is dead and he’s never coming back. I should have come sooner, and for that I am sorry. I just wanted you to know that you’re no longer in any danger.”

As soon as Harry mentioned Lily, Petunia gets a far-away look in her eyes. “I’ve been thinking about my sister since we had to leave Surrey. I hated what she was. I hated her weird friend. I hated that strange school. And I hated her arrogant husband. But I never hated Lily.” Her eyes become focused again, and lock onto Harry. “I was enraged when I found you on my doorstep, but only because my little sister had been murdered. I treated you poorly, we all did, and you never deserved any of it. It took me too long to realize I simply missed Lily. When I looked into your eyes I saw her looking back and I would be filled with my hatred of those things all over again, but I never hated you.”

“I understand,” Harry responds. “I live in what used to be my godfather’s house. I used to hate the place and refused to step foot in it because I knew he was gone. My friends finally talked me into going there and cleaning the place up. After a while, I realized that I never hated the place at all. I just hated that Sirius couldn’t be there with me.”

It’s as if in one single moment Petunia can see everything her relationship with Harry could have been. Harry sees her façade start to crumble, so he keeps on talking. “I know we can’t go back in time, and I wouldn’t want to. I just want you and Dudley and Uncle Vernon to be able to live your lives. And, if you want me, I’d like to be a part of that.”

Petunia’s eyes tear up for multiple reasons. “Harry. Uncle Vernon died. It was a heart attack. Can’t say we didn’t see it coming, but it doesn’t make it any easier. And I think we’d like you to be a real part of our lives as well. Dudley feels bad about everything, same as I do. He’s really turned his life around. He’s certainly not spoiled anymore, and all that physical labor seems to be doing him a lot of good. Suppose the same can be said of me.”

She casts her eyes down. Harry gives her a moment with her thoughts before reaching his arms around her. She tentatively hugs back. Then, as if a switch has been flipped, she steps back and places a forced smile back on her face. “I have to finish cleaning the kitchens before heading upstairs to check on the guests’ rooms. Were you planning on staying? I can get you a very nice rate if I talk to the manager.”

“I would like that,” Harry replies.

“Good. How long are you planning on staying?”

“As long as you’ll have me.”

Petunia smiles a real smile this time.

**Author's Note:**

> I just can't imagine someone like Harry, who honors and values family the way that he does, would not eventually go looking for the Dursleys. Yes, they were horrible to him when he was a child. They were emotionally and psychologically abusive, if not physical. But I feel like Vernon was the worst. Petunia and Dudley could change. And with time, Harry could definitely come to understand where Petunia was coming from. It wouldn't be perfect, and it would take time to heal the wounds, but I just don't believe Harry would let them go so easily.


End file.
